Old news: Artie Lange hospitalized ... New news: Suicide attempt

He really is not more shocking now. But shocking is not what made him who he is.

His success comes from Ba Ba Booey, Fred, Robin, Ronnie, JD, Scott and all the others. It's their interactions with each other that makes the show great. Stern at his best is taking advantage of Gary trying to throw out an opening pitch or buying an animated cell for his collection.

I understand a lot of people cannot stand him. I'm just explaining what I like about the show.

 

He had Dr. Drew on yesterday and that Jackman interview was from a few months ago.

I still like him, but you are right, he does not have the same size audience anymore.

 

Lange was one of the most successful touring comics last year. He's the best part of Stern's show.

Very sad story.

 

I've listened to Stern since I was 15. He's definitely mellowed over the last few years, but listening to him is still a great way to kill time in the car.

 

He's the best interviewer working. I know several journalism professors who play some of his stuff in classes.

I know he has a rep for "Take off your top" and so on, but he has a knack for getting guys like Paul McCartney and Chris Rock and other stars to really tell you things that you'll never hear on the late night shows.

 

Artie is obviously a guy who has had real trouble for years. He's long said that it was his dream to be a regular part of the Stern show. And he's talked about how the stand-up life on weekends is really bad for his habits, but that the money is way too good to turn down.

I think that the show, which always discusses aspects of the personal lives of the cast members, enabled Artie's destructive ways by making light of them. Stern shied away from talking about Artie's demons from time to time to protect Artie. But I think that Artie probably feels that he's not as funny or as valuable to the show if he isn't talking about his personal weaknesses. So in order to do his dream job, he probably feels that he has to engage in this self-destructive behavior.

 

Lange's father died when he was 42. Lange has said on the show that he feels extreme guilt for outliving his father. It's very sad.

I highly recommend Lange's book "Too Fat to Fish" and his last DVD "Jack and Coke"

 

I stabbed myself 9 times listening to Lange kill the Stern show years ago.

 

Outside of politics, it'd be hard to find a bigger hypocrite than Stern.

 

Any hesitation wounds?

 

Joe Buck finally found the right voodoo doll.

 

One of the things that struck me in the Post story was that he lives in an apt in Hoboken. If the money from stand-up is so good, why is he still living in an apt in Hoboken? Is NYC really that expensive?